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Latest Gear Live Videos
Windows Phone 8 lock screen customizable with Live Apps
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Microsoft, Software,
Microsoft is introducing a new lock screen on Windows Phone 8 that can be customized thanks to the Live App infrastructure. What does this mean for you? Well, your lock screen just became a lot more useful, as you can have it display things like recent photos, sports scores, Facebook updates from close friends, and more. Not the most groundbreaking feature in the world, but it's another way that Windows Phone 8 allows you to customize your phone in a personal way, bringing real-time updates to the first screen you see when your turn on your phone.
Gallery: Windows Phone 8 lock screen customizable with Live Apps
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Jailbreaking your iPad and unlocking your iPhone ruled illegal by Library of Congress
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Software,
Somber news for the jailbreaking and unlocking community. Per rule of the Library of Congress, it will be illegal to unlock any smartphone (including iPhone) or jailbreak any tablet (including iPad) purchased after January 1, 2013. The only exception is jailbreaking or rooting a smartphone, which is covered by the DMCA for the next three years.
B. Wireless telephone handsets – software interoperability
Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute lawfully obtained software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications with computer programs on the telephone handset.
C. Wireless telephone handsets – interoperability with alternative networks
Computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, that enable a wireless telephone handset originally acquired from the operator of a wireless telecommunications network or retailer no later than ninety days after the effective date of this exemption to connect to a different wireless telecommunications network, if the operator of the wireless communications network to which the handset is locked has failed to unlock it within a reasonable period of time following a request by the owner of the wireless telephone handset, and when circumvention is initiated by the owner, an individual consumer, who is also the owner of the copy of the computer program in such wireless telephone handset, solely in order to connect to a different wireless telecommunications network, and such access to the network is authorized by the operator of the network.This exemption is a modification of the proponents’ proposal. It permits the circumvention of computer programs on mobile phones to enable such mobile phones to connect to alternative networks (often referred to as “unlocking”), but with limited applicability. In order to align the exemption to current market realities, it applies only to mobile phones acquired prior to the effective date of the exemption or within 90 days thereafter. - US Library of Congress.
Read More 
| Library of Congress
Gallery: Jailbreaking your iPad and unlocking your iPhone ruled illegal by Library of Congress
Apple announces iBooks 3.0, available today
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Software,
Apple has announced a new version of iBooks this morning at its iPad mini event. iBooks 3.0 features vertical scrolling on a page, negating the need to turn pages. It also has Facebook and Twitter sharing, where you can just select a passage, and share it to one of these social networks. iBooks also supports 40 languages now as well. It's a free update, available today. Download it now.
Gallery: Apple announces iBooks 3.0, available today
Apple working on iOS 6.0.1 bug fix update
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Rumors, Software,
BGR reported this morning that their sources have indicated that Apple is internally testing iOS 6.0.1 with numerous carriers, and this one looks to be focused on fixing a few nagging issues. There have been complaints of the camera flash not firing when expected, bad Wi-Fi connections, and horizontal lines appearing on the display, and iOS 6.0.1 should address these concerns, and more. In addition, there is an Exchange Invite bug that deletes the entire calendar event if any invited party declines. Furthermore, a Passbook update will prevent all the details from your cards from being accessed from the lock screen without your PIN code.
It's also reported that Apple is working on iOS 6.1, which should bring with it a new feature or two, within the confines of its Cupertino labs, but that isn't expected until after the 2012 holiday season. BGR has been somewhat hit or miss with Apple predictions as of late, so this can all be taken with a grain of salt. That said, it would be hard to imagine that Apple didn't have both iOS 6.0.1 and iOS 6.1 in the pipeline.
Read More | BGR
Gallery: Apple working on iOS 6.0.1 bug fix update
French authorities nab Android Trojan horse maker
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Google, Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks, Software,
Yet another case of malware found on Google Play. A 20-year-old man suspected of an elaborate Android Trojan SMS scheme was arrested in France. The alleged hacker tallied over 17,000 Android users that installed malicious software posed as copy cat apps. The scheme works by sending SMS messages at a premium cost. The hacker then earns a micro-transaction fee, leaving the unsuspecting user with an unexpected hefty monthly bill.
The hacker informed French authorities that he was more motivated by the technical aspect than monetary gain and had goals of becoming a software engineer. Cyber criminals have made inroads into making malware in the Android platform partly because the Google Play Store is open and is not curated and vetted for security like Apple's App Store. Hackers have created clone malware of popular apps like Skype, Instagram, and Angry birds. Some of these apps steal personal information and passwords and can capture pretty much anything you type.
Computer venders Security, like Sophos, strongly advise Android users to be vigilant and also install their free anti-virus security suite.
Read More | The Register
Gallery: French authorities nab Android Trojan horse maker
How to disable Interest Based iAds and limit ad tracking on your iPhone and iPad
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Software,
Recently, it has been reported that, with iOS 6, Apple has a new tracking mechanism built-in that allows targeted advertising. Basically, this just means that when there are ads in apps, that they can display ads that Apple feels will be more relevant to you, rather than having them be completely random. Some users don't appreciate any sort of behavior tracking, and would rather turn this feature off. One easy way to get to this setting is to visit the following address from your iOS device: http://oo.apple.com. That will redirect you to the opt out panel for Interest Based iAds. Turn the setting to OFF to disable the feature, and you'll no longer see ads that are targeted to your interests.
Gallery: How to disable Interest Based iAds and limit ad tracking on your iPhone and iPad
Tweetbot is arguably the best Twitter experience you can get on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, and now the folks at Tapbots have released Tweetbot for Mac. It's a clean, polished Twitter experience that outshines both official offerings from Twitter itself--Twitter for Mac and Tweetbot. iCloud and Notification Center support are on board, allowing you to sync preferences and read items across devices. You can pick up Tweetbot for Mac now for $19.99 in the Mac App Store. Why so much? Well, due to Twitter's new, strict API rules, developers like Tapbots only have a limited number of user tokens that its apps can use. So if you wanna use Tweetbot, you're gonna have to grab it soon, because once the API tokens are gone, they're gone.
Read More | Tweetbot for Mac
Gallery: Tweetbot for Mac now available for $19.99
Google sets the table for an October 29th Android Event
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Google, Rumors, Software,
The rumor of the Google Nexus event on October 29th is all but confirmed. The search giant has sent out invitations to the press for the event being held in New York City. The invite details are limited to time, date, and place but there's some additional written text in the search field. Could it mean an open API for Google Now?
With a high degree of certainty, the event will centered around the LG Nexus 4. However, there might be additional hardware announcements, like the one that appeared on the photo sharing site, Picasa, of the Sony Nexus X smartphone, and possibly a revamped Nexus Q. Perhaps some chatter of Google TV; we doubt it though. Could Google be planning to release yet another version of Android? Key Lime Pie anyone? The event will be live streamed on Youtube.
Click to continue reading Google sets the table for an October 29th Android Event
Gallery: Google sets the table for an October 29th Android Event
Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac giveaway!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, PC / Laptop, Software,
If you've been checking out the Gear Live Twitter and Facebook pages, then you've likely been looking forward to our next giveaway, featuring Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac. Well, the time is now!
Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac brings a bunch of power to the popular virtual machine software, letting you run Windows 8 right on your Mac in a variety of ways. In fact, if you are running Mountain Lion, you get your Windows 8 notifications right in Notification Center. Even if you aren't looking to throw Windows on your Mac, Parallels will let you run multiple instances of OS X and Linux as well. Imagine running Windows 8, Windows 7, OS X Lion, OS X Mountain Lion, and OS X Snow Leopard Server, all at once, all on your Mac. That's the power that Parallels offers.
Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac sells for $80, but we've got a bunch of codes to give away to Gear Live readers that'll let you download it for free! We have multiple ways to enter:
- Follow the Gear Live Twitter account and post this exact tweet: “Hey @gearlive hook me up with @ParallelsMac! #Parallels8 http://gear.lv/e-parallels8” (Click here to tweet this now)
- Like Gear Live on Facebook and leave a comment on our wall
- Subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube Channel
- Leave a comment on this post
- Do all four, and your entries are doubled!
Do that, and you're in! At the end of this week, we will pick five winners randomly from all valid entries. The winner must be over 18 year old. Contest ends at 12:00am on October 19th!
Gallery: Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac giveaway!
Is this the new Google Maps app for iOS 6?
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Google, Rumors, Software,
iOS developer Ben Guild has received alleged information on a Google Maps app for iOS 6 that is currently in alpha testing; including the classic blurry cam pics. The much desired Google Maps app is fast, vector-based, supports two-finger rotation to any angle, and is iPhone 5 ready. Unfortunately, there's no ETA of when it will arrive at the App Store. Of course, arrival time is not as important as making sure the app is tested and fully baked for consumers before launching. When all is said and done, Google Maps should be a free download for users.
Click to continue reading Is this the new Google Maps app for iOS 6?
Read More | Ben Guild
